A Dance of Lions and Snakes (O. Martell)

I

When I was a little girl my septa taught me how to draw, it had always been an escape route from all the needlework lessons and training with Jaime. Strangely enough it was thanks to my drawing that I started formulating my own line of little birds. People are quite easy to read, you just have to be kind every once in a while, give them a drawing or two, smile, and soon enough you make yourself a new allay gathering information from all corners of the castle.

It got pretty quiet around the castle, since every free time we had Jaime and Cersie would go off together and Tyrion was always locked away in the safety of his books, hiding from our father. So it was nice to have all these birdies tell me about what was happening around me. As I grew older things got busier, people started expecting me to act a certain way and be this perfect lady of court. When you are a Lannister, perfection isn't enough.

Court is full of rats and cowards, I learned that at a young age, since all of them always seemed to want something from me, being kind only to get on my father's good side. So my birdies came in more useful than ever, court ladies tend to gossip a lot in front of their servants, manipulating these ladies into doing my bidding wasn't that hard afterwards.

Furthermore, with each trip to Kings Landing my network grew, some enough I had birdies in all the right places. Information is power afterall. With me pulling the strings of most of the court's affairs from my balcony cushion and sword training with Jaime, I earned myself a nickname; The Wild Lionesse. Fitting enough, and to think it all started with my drawings.

So here I am once again drawing the beautiful view I get of the gardens and sea from my chambers' balcony. It's a relief that I get to relax in my room, since my name day is just weeks away everyone has been on edge. I'm turning ten and seven.

By this age most noble girls are already married, however being the youngest and favorite child of Tywin Lannister has its perks, I've been able to avoid such fate. But I can't allude it forever, that is why this will be a very special name day *sigh* "You are gonna do it Davina, you are gonna ask father no matter what, he will get angry but, you'll get what you want, and don't take no for an answer."

"And what exactly is that, that you want, little sister?" I slightly jump, just to turn around and find my brother, Tyrion, smirking at me from the door. "By the gods, Tyrion! Don't startle me like that." I say as I calm my rapid beating heart. "Pff, hush now. No but seriously, what are you planning?" Tyrion narrows his eyes as he takes a seat by my side at the balcony, and of course, preaches for a cup of wine, this should be interesting. "Bloody hells woman, where is your wine?" he whines like a little boy when he finds nothing but water nearby. "I don't drink, you know this brother" dulls the senses, leaves vulnerable in front of others.

"Yeah I know. This plan of yours, does it involve our beloved sister? If so, tell me so I can spend the entirety of her stay in a brothel." However I decide not to answer, he still owes me for covering as he escaped The Rocks' grounds not too long ago to see his beloved, a whore, and he hasn't delivered what I requested in payment for my silence.

"Ah. I get it, I still owe you. Alright, here you go Davi. As promised" and he handed me a very old looking book. I've always been intrigued by the Targaryan rule, so I got Tyron to smuggle me a book from the Maester's private archives as payment, so I could learn more about the ancient rulers.

"Thank you brother" I immediately close my journal and go to hide the book under my bed. He scoffs and replies "You spent too much time with Cersei, growing up. Now you act a lot like her, blackmail and manipulation are not a good look on you baby sister." What do my birds have to do with Cersie? It is no secret that my sister and Tyrion do not get along, for some reason they hate each other for something that happened in the past, not that they've ever told me.

"Aw, sweet brother. This isn't by any means Cersie's doing, I just have my ways of knowing everything that happens in this castle'' Truly, my network of secrets and information wasn't Cerise's idea, but rather I got it from a strange man, who called himself Littlefinger that came to make business with my father once, a long time ago. "Davina, what are you planning?"

I turned to look at Tyrion with a small smile, wouldn't you like to know. "You will just have to wait and see brother."

***

I was walking through the gardens, thinking about the past. Specifically about my mother, Lady Joanna Lannister, or at least the things they have told me about her. My father always tells me about how beautiful and kind she was, Cersei says I look a l like her, and Jamie told me all of the mischief he pulled off with her help, apparently she was also quite fun.

I don't remember my mother, she died when I was a girl, in the hands of Aerys Targaryen, the Mad King. The bastard burned her alive, like he did with Brandon Stark. And we all know what happened afterwards, Robert's Rebellion, that took out the white haired man. Yet I don't know if pitting him on the throne was the best decision, he has become a drunk with zero regard whatsoever over his Kingdoms, and just keeps asking my father for money to pay for his drinks and his whores, gods know that the only way any woman would ever agree to fuck the bastard would have to get paid.

Despite my obvious hatred for that family, the Targaryen dynasty had many great warriors which I've grown to admire. That and my undying curiosity were the reasons I learned to speak High Valyrian. My father wasn't very happy at the beginning but he calmed down once I explained that it was a noble and ancient tongue that could help me with future relationships.

Thanks to that special skill of mine, I've managed to keep my entire plan a secret from everyone. But now I have to tell my father and get his permission, one way or another, gods, please be on my side and let my plan pull through.

A/N

What did you think? I choose to change Joanna's death in my story, there will be a few more changes like this one (nothing mayor). 

Stay tuned, there are more songs to be played.